Ahmadi
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- For the town in Kuwait, see Ahmadi, Kuwait.
Ahmadi Muslims (Urdu: احمدیہ Ahmadiyya), are followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. They comprise two subsects, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement (Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islaman). Ahmadi Muslims' beliefs are considered heretical and outside of Islam by most mainstream Muslims, though an exception has been made by some in the case of the smaller Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement.
At the end of the nineteenth century Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian proclaimed himself to be the "Reformer of the age" Mujaddid, Promised Messiah, Mahdi and Prophet of the age. (Note that the two subsects of the Ahmadiyya interpret this last claim very differently). He claimed to have fulfilled the prophecy of the return of Jesus. He and his followers claimed that his advent was foretold by Muhammad the prophet of Islam, and also by many other religious scriptures of the world. In 1889 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad laid down the foundation of his community, which was later on given the name of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. Since its inception, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat's objective has been the revival of Islam. Soon after the death of Ahmad, the movement split into two sects over the question of the Finality of Prophethood. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement affirmed the traditional Islamic interpretation that there could be no new prophet after Muhammad and viewed itself as a reform movement within the broader Ummah. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, however, claimed that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had indeed been a prophet (albeit a "non-law-bearing" one) and that mainstream Muslims who rejected his message were guilty of disbelief. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has established offices in 182 countries and claims a population of over 200 million [1], although other statistics claim much lower. There is no reliable count of the population of members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement.
Most mainstream Muslims, including Sunni and Shiite Islam scholars, refer to the Ahmaddiya as heretics, often using the term "Qadiani", a term literally referring to someone belonging to the Qadian region in India. This term however has acquired derogatory connotations over the years. Mainstream Muslims contend that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim of prophethood and messiahhood violates the basic tenets of Islam (namely that Muhammad is the last prophet, and that it is Jesus Christ who returns at the end times in person, and no other). Both Ahmadi Muslims sects support their belief by using an allegorical interpretation of the references in Islamic literature related to the “return of Jesus”. However there is a difference between the two sects as far as finality of prophet hood is concerned, as listed below:
Contents |
Ahmadis compared to mainstream Muslims
| Article of faith | Mainstream Islamic belief | Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement belief | Ahmadiyya Muslim Community belief |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second coming of Jesus (Isa in Islam) | At the “end of days” Jesus himself will descend from heaven in the flesh | References to the second coming of Jesus are allegorical. The prophecy of the second coming was fulfilled in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad | References to the second coming of Jesus are allegorical. The prophecy of the second coming was fulfilled in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad |
| Status of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad | Differs, but often considered an apostate. Many mainstream Muslims believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was one of the 30 false claimants to prophethood about whom the prophet Muhammad warned Muslims 1400 years ago | A prophet in the allegorical sense. Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century. The promised Mahdi and the second coming of Jesus. | A prophet in every sense of the word except that he did not bring a new law. Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century. The promised Mahdi and the second coming of Jesus. |
| Kalima Shahadat | Professing the Kalima required to become a Muslim and (in some cases) accepting Mirza Ghulam Ahmed to be an apostate also a pre-requisite to being considered a Muslim | Anyone saying the Kalima Shahadat cannot be declared a non-Muslim by anyone else. | Anyone saying the Kalima Shahadat cannot be declared a non-Muslim by anyone else. However main-stream Muslims saying the Kalima are referred to as "Kafirs" in the context of their non belief in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. |
| Finality of Prophethood | Prophet Muhammad is the last of the prophets. However this does not preclude the re arrival of an old Prophet (Jesus) at the end of days | Hazrat Mohammad is the last of the prophets. No prophet, either new or old can come after him. | Hazrat Mohammad brought prophet hood to perfection. New prophets can come after him provided they follow the example set by him in every respect. The new prophets are subordinate to Hazrat Mohammad and cannot exceed him in excellence nor bring a new law. |
Qadiani Ahmadis compared to Lahori
Since both groups claim to be the true inheritors of the legacy of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and since the two groups have radically different interpretations of his teachings (see below), the term can be quite ambiguous. Ahmadis claim that mainstream Muslim critics of Ahmadis often fail to note the important distinctions between the groups, treating all "Ahmadis" as "Qadianis". While such oversimplification is perhaps understandable from a strictly statistical perspective--while many doubt the accuracy of official Qadiani membership claims, there are clearly far more Qadiani Ahmadis than Lahori Ahmadis--it misrepresents a number of issues which are at the heart of the controversy. It also overlooks the fact that though the Lahore group is smaller it claims to have compelling arguments to support its interpretation of the Founder's message. Finally, this oversimplification overlooks the fact that Lahori Ahmadis are among the most vocal critics of the beliefs of Qadiani beliefs.
External links
Ahmadiyya:
- Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
- Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
- Persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
- Ahmadiyya Muslim Books
